The present embodiments relate to functional imaging. In particular, segmentation for multi-modal functional imaging is provided.
Medical imaging of metabolic and biochemical activity within a patient is known as functional imaging. Functional imaging techniques include, for example, nuclear imaging such as Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Single Photon Computed Tomography (SPECT), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and functional computed tomography (fCT). The reconstruction of a functional image from data acquired by functional imaging is often difficult because the data is characterized by small signal rates and low signal-to-noise ratio. For nuclear imaging, for example, the count rate is limited by the amount of a radioactive substance that can be administered without harming the patient. Nuclear imaging relies on emissions from the patient rather than transmission to or through the patient.
In addition, a functional image does not necessarily provide structural information. Thus, a functional image is often evaluated with the help of an adjacent structural image. Computed tomography may be used for the structural image. Computed tomography is a transmission type of imaging. Transmission imaging refers to imaging where the imaging source (e.g., X-ray) is external to the subject and is transmitted through the subject to a detector. However, adjacent display may be confusing.